I recently went on a little bike ride into some old backwoods mixed among the local
streams and creeks. There was one bridge that I came to right as the sun was smack in the
middle of the stream, shining through the fog and a tree that overhung the water. It was
amazing how all those little things fit together so well- it was a fragment of paradise.
Know what the best thing is? The fragments are everywhere, just waiting for someone to
see them. Go out there and look with your heart, and you can find them too.
Disclaimer: Seeing fragments of paradise may induce excessively happy feelings that will annoy those who lack imagination. Just say 'pbbbt' to them.
Technical Notes- Gunsmoke Telepathy: In this story, telepathy is best described by using a radio analogy. Unless you're disciplined in controlling your thoughts or have a rather unique method of thinking, everyone is like a radio station, broadcasting out what they're thinking at any given time. Since there's absolutely no regulation, these broadcasts end up as a cluttered jumble, but since almost nobody has good receivers it doesn't matter. Like radio, transmission ranges are limited and will vary from person to person and even from thought to thought. Emotionally charged thoughts have more raw power than calm, logical thoughts. Clarity and signal strength drop off with distance, though certain combinations of circumstance can create abnormally long range contact (like getting a European radio station on a cheap crystal radio in the US though pure luck). Direct physical contact results in exceptionally strong signals.
On the reception end, as stated almost nobody has a receiver. Plants are a notable exception, as is anyone that gets shown how to 'make' a receiver, and more importantly how to 'tune' it to a specific person. Once this is done, they may be able to take it further. In extreme cases, they get good enough at controlling both reception and transmission to not only /look/ into minds, but to also exploit weaknesses (such as doubts, fears, and other negative psychological attributes) and gain control over a person's body, forcing the person into a sleep state while the body goes off on a joyride. Even at such a stage of ability, whoever is doing the controlling is still limited by the number of ways they can split their attention, their own transmission range, how well they can probe multiple minds, and how resistant some minds may be to control. Resistance can be increased through a variety of methods, ranging from outright physically different brains to exceptional mental self control to sheer mass of thought as thousands of people all thinking results in massive telepathic static- probably why Legato never just went out and smacked down the major cities one after another.
And now you know, so stop the drooling and spinning eyes already.
Rise of the Silver Stars
Chapter 20: Intersection
The hustle and bustle of a large city was ever-present. While it would be the case for any of the great cities, the exact feel given off by the city would always be unique. December had an undertone of dealmaking, the art of fair compromise. May defied its own grandeur by somehow retaining a small town attitude. July had been filled with an evanescent feeling of hope, the loss of which was almost as devastating to the planet as the loss of the production and population center. Now, Inepril had gained a feeling of expectation. You couldn't spend more than a few minutes in it before an overwhelming sense that something was about to happen pervaded you.
Somehow, knowing that he was responsible for that didn't make him feel any better. The crushing knowledge that he had caused another change, though far smaller in scope, was creating a hurt deep within him. It just wouldn't go away, it sat there and festered. Even the small opening up and revelation from his brother made little difference- it only assuaged a different, far older hurt. This new hurt was one he couldn't deal with all alone- it would slip around and spin off horrible worlds of "if" to make itself bigger.
He couldn't wait for his friends to return, as not only would they be a while in coming, but they were the wrong sort of help for him. He needed something he couldn't get from them, so he sought it elsewhere. It may have been a fool's errand, but wasn't that the role he played? He sought comfort from the only source he knew might be able to provide it. He stumbled across the city towards the destination, not knowing what to expect.
¤ ¤ ¤
Ducking around corners was fun. Really. Keep the hat brim down, only peek out when needed. Ignore that group up ahead. Just like Hide and Seek. Don't mind the shout, just walk on as if you couldn't care less. Slide around the corner, and... safe! ...For the moment. "Good lord, how does Vash manage to do this every day?"
A voice spoke up behind her, nearly making her leap out of her boots. "Perhaps it would be prudent to wait for nightfall?"
She shot a death glare at Rai-dei, then turned up her nose and started to walk off. Then she remembered that turning up her nose meant her face was visible, and angled back down so quickly the hat popped off. Luckily, a hand flew by in a blur to replace her identity protecting item. Damn that man. It felt like she relying on him for practically everything, which was grating on her. She was quite capable of taking care of herself! "At least before all this..."
After playing a good hour's worth of "Win Another Minute of Life!" with the crowds, her target was in reach, yet still so very far away. It was in reach because she was standing right next to the building, and so very far away because of the armed guards and receptionist in the main entrance. Well, if the main entrance wouldn't do, time to find another. A quick walk around the outer wall alleys revealed an exit, as evidenced by the lack of even a handle on this door. Good thing she had her lockpick. "Open it up."
Rai-dei complied, and with a pair of soft chinks the door was suddenly minus supporting connections. It fell down with a nice thump, and she chalked up 'Breaking and Entering' to her record. She suddenly felt giddy with a realization- she could do anything, anything at all, and not worry about the law. She was so far in the hole already with her accused crimes that any more wouldn't make a difference. After all, you couldn't get worse than death- everything afterwards was irrelevant. It was a liberating feeling, yet at the same time horribly depressing. However, considering who she was hoping to find in here, she had to keep her thoughts ordered and focused. Knives wasn't one to be consoling troubles- she'd be lucky if he didn't just haul her up by the collar and drop her off for the reward.
She wrapped up the mental mess and filed it away to be dealt with later- right now she had a lot of ground to search. The building was mazelike, with parts of it old, other parts newer, and still plenty of damage in areas deemed unimportant. Arriving at another intersection, she peered down each direction to decide the best path. That was when she felt... something that pulled her to the left. It seemed as good a way to go as any, so she followed it. It kept pulling at her, almost guiding her steps. Finally, she spotted something atypical in the building- a door left ajar. A touch gently swung it open.
"...amazing..."
The plant didn't look like any she had ever seen. They would always be large glass-like containers with a glowing center. Some would be small, barely larger than herself, while others could be mountains in their own right. However, this one was almost completely different. A larger one, its base formed the room's roof. That much was the same.
The thing within was not. Vash had told her that the plants were alive, and there were stories from old engineers of seeing angels inside the orbs, but her mind couldn't quite wrap itself around what she had been told- until now. The plant angel was out, and it appeared to deserve every last wild tale and then some. It was glowing softly, a white light that illuminated the room, yet wasn't so bright as to obscure detail. Oh, and what detail was there to see! Feathers of all sizes sprouted off the almost human form, curling around and waving slowly in a dazzling dance. White and black locks of hair floated about its head, occasionally passing before the creature's eyes. The featureless orbs looked useless for sight, yet the angel still seemed to be staring down at something across the room. Following its gaze, difficult as it was to tear her own eyes away from it, she spotted a crumpled figure across a raised section of the floor.
"It can't be..." Her legs moved before her mouth found words, in an attempt to make sure that it was who she wouldn't dare hope it to be. His face was obscured by his hands, but there was no mistaking that arm- or the hair. "Vash?"
He stopped breathing after a momentary intake, and then, ever so slowly, raised his head up and turned towards her. That gaze of his felt like watching the suns rise, to slowly shove aside the biting cold of night with the gentle warmth of morning. It pervaded her, even as she saw a miracle happen on his tear streaked face. He had looked so empty in that first instant, but every moment seemed to fill him, as if he had lost his soul only to have it now return. He stood, and arms- both hers and his -reached out to touch the others face. "Real... It's real..." The arms moved again, and suddenly the air between them was shoved aside. The tears that had collected on his chin now ran down her forehead, to mingle with her own in making his shirt wet. Everything would be fine now...
However, reality couldn't even give them a moment's peace before throwing another crisis at them, as she heard his gun click. He whispered softly to her, yet his voice carried a deadly undertone. "Get behind me..."
¤ ¤ ¤
He had come to the main plant facility to try and seek some form of solstice. His sisters seemed nearly unable to talk or /talk/, but they communicated nonetheless. It was pure feeling that they transmitted and received- It lacked the precision of language, but made up for it with unbarred honesty and accuracy. There was no way to choose the wrong words when there were no words to choose from.
He had slapped up his happy mask to make it in the front door, but the act was straining. Even just pretending to be happy felt wrong. He still managed to wiggle his way in past the personnel without raising a ruckus. He recognized them from the last time he had been in the city, and a simple greeting and a word about him coming to check a plant had him in the bowels of the complex. He went right to the plant that had threatened to explode last time. They knew each other a little better than most.
She opened up for him, in the most important senses of the word. Even after all the times he had seen them like this, it never failed to invoke some sense of wonder. There was nothing he had seen that could quite compare to the way they drifted about. Every bit of their forms seemed to burst with life in a way that almost no person could match. He sent out his feelings to her, and she responded with a soft blanket of comfort. It settled over the room, and he sat to bask in it.
Unfortunately, it didn't last. An upwelling of guilt stifled the pleasant waves. What right did he have to feel so happy when the one closest to his heart was out there, in who knows what kind of trouble? In a fit of anger, he thrust aside the warm blanket of comfort. He didn't deserve it. The plant withdrew in shock, and he suddenly found himself sending remorse for his outburst to her. The comfort came back, but this time it skittered along the edges of his mind. Why had he done this? Surely his friends needed him now, and he had just run off to try and get something he shouldn't have from his sister. To top it off, he couldn't get it after all and had scared her in the process. What kind of a beast was he?
His head fell limply into his waiting hands. Even his sister seemed to have given up, her attention going elsewhere while he remained crumpled up by the central platform, like a candy wrapper tossed aside. He became almost as inert as one too. He had no idea how long he stayed that way, until a small noise slashed through the veil he had drawn around himself.
"Vash?"
His breath froze as his eyes snapped open. He turned up to the source of that sound. There she was, looking down at him. Had his grief driven him crazy? He got up and hesitantly stuck out his hand, afraid of causing her to evaporate into the place mirages come from with his touch, yet hoping against hope that it really was her. His fingers trembled as they came to her upturned face, with lavender eyes locked into his own. His hand touched her cheek- It was soft. Her hand traced his jaw- It was warm. It was her... It was really her! Tears of a different sort now traced their way down as he embraced her. He held on tightly while the beating of his heart threatened to overwhelm his senses. They were together again, and this time he wouldn't let go. A feeling of happiness drifted down from above, and looking up he saw the plant return to its normal form. He let his gaze fall back down, noticing for the first time that she had a rather ugly hat on that didn't suit her at all. It was gone with a casual flick.
A hand caught it as it was about to sail out the door, and the perfect little world with just the two of them crumbled. His mind flitted over a library's worth of curses, but none seemed able to express just how much he despised whatever gods there may be right then and there. Thus, he kept silent as he smoothly unholstered his gun, then whispered a warning. "Get behind me..."
The Gung-ho Gun just stood there, head bowed as he gently prodded Meryl behind him. What was the man waiting for?
"Oh, it's just Rai-dei."
"'Just' Rai-dei? What's going on here?" He kept his aim squarely on the figure before him.
"It's... a long story."
"Figures. Luckily, I can keep this up all day, so let's hear it."
Rai-dei got down to his knees and carefully laid the blade that was his namesake beside him, then outright prostrated himself just inside the room. If there was dust anywhere, he'd spot it for sure like that. His aim held steady- he possessed superior speed, but with Meryl there he had very little room to move as he would have liked. The form spoke but a moment later.
"Vash-San, I have wronged you terribly, and must beg your forgiveness."
That was unexpected. "Uh... Okay?"
Rai-dei rose to his knees, and for the better part of the next hour the ex-Gung-ho Gun spilled out his story. His brush with death, though to him it really was death. The departure from the Gung-ho Guns, too ashamed to even tell them after breaking down so dishonorably in Augusta. His anguished wanderings, trying to find the Stampede but failing to do so. His discovery of the book and the new vow he had taken on. His chance meeting with Meryl while putting a stop to the Nebraskas. The escape from the city, the steamer trip, Meryl's illness, and finally arriving in Inepril that morning.
Meryl ended up dozing against his legs, her gentle contact and lack of aggression vouching for what Rai-dei said more than the actual words. Normally he would have kept her awake, but she needed it if even half of what Rai-dei mentioned was true. However, she snapped out of her slumber once the story finished. Even overstressed as she was, she was still able to keep a bit of caution in her.
"So... You want to be like me?"
"Hai."
"Well, you've come quite a way, but you're not there yet. There's a core element, vitally important to how I view the world that you still lack."
"What would that be, Vash-San?"
"You must always remember...!"
"Hai."
"Deep within your being..."
"Hai!"
The look Rai-dei had was nothing short of one expecting a divine proclamation. The man was ready to listen, so it was time to speak the simple truth with conviction and good old fashioned volume.
"That this world is made of love and peace!"
¤ ¤ ¤
"What was that?"
The other junior technician looked up at the ceiling from which the loud thudding noise had come. "Some old rubble, maybe? Better tell the boss man just in case, whatever it was must have hit hard."
¤ ¤ ¤
The street was mostly empty under the influence of the midday suns, but there were always eyes out. Looking through the glare of dusty windows, or just able to peek out from under old beat up hats, they were omnipresent. At least they weren't even so much as glancing her way, thanks to Vash. Even without his brilliant red coat, he was still able to garner ample attention with his antics, and when combined with the fact that none of those eyes wanted to stare at a Cavalry uniform, it resulted in a completely effective diversion. Wherever they were going, they'd get there.
As it was, 'there' proved to be a small apartment building not far from the town center, but enough out of the way that the long time residents were the only ones around. Entering the lobby, there was a sudden hail of darts that thoroughly pegged Vash just before a group of children swarmed him. She sighed and went for the stairs to wait out playtime, but just as she turned to get a seat on the lowest step Vash nearly bumped into her. "They finished already?"
"No, but sometimes you're just in a hurry to get things done. Can't fool around all day!" He laughed through his giant grin. "Oh, Vash..." He was using his Happy persona, but it was so strained that almost anyone could pick up on it. He never liked serious talks, and here he was rushing them up to what would probably be nothing but serious talks. It both warmed and hurt her. That he was willing to place her first was great, but not if it took away the other things that made him happy. Besides that, the kids looked depressed at being rebuffed, and she couldn't have that. Her mind made up, she firmly turned him around and gave him a slap on the rear. "Get out there you big doofus."
Moment later, he was being twisted like a pretzel in the middle of the lobby. She watched them go at it with a smile. The problems could wait a few minutes for this. Rai-dei sat beside her, his neat upright position a contrast to her own chin-on-one-knee relaxed posture.
"He is... not what I expected."
She kept watching the wrestling in the middle. "Yeah, but that's what makes him so wonderful. He's so alive despite everything, or maybe because of everything. What's really amazing is that he can spread it out to everyone around him."
"I find it hard to believe that he is the same being I faced in Augusta."
"It just takes time to understand him. Spend a few months following him around and you'll hardly recognize yourself, if he doesn't drive you crazy in the process."
"I will see."
They kept their little audience going as Vash got contorted into improbable shapes by the noisy gaggle of kids. After a few minutes, Rai-dei rose and turned, but didn't go up the stairs as she expected. Instead, he stood there and spoke.
"I apologize for failing you."
He hadn't failed her, had he? Then a sudden chill on her neck alerted her to the presence of someone else. She knew who it was before her head turned to glance up at him. Knives stood a few steps above, mouth firmly fixed in a disapproving frown while his eyes glowed soft blue.
¤decks out everyone in party regalia, complete with pointy hats and party favors¤ It's time to celebrate! Over one hundred reviews and counting! Party hearty my amigos!
Wolfwood: All right! Dibs on the cake! ¤CRUNCH¤ Ey, who fut a ailfile en the cake?
Oh, I had been saving that cake for a special occasion, and now seemed special enough. Come on Legato, you can't be all frowns at a party!
Legato: .........¤phweet¤.
Oh well, I suppose it's the best we can expect from him. And who spiked the punch? ¤pulls a bunch of giant spikes out of the punch¤
E.G. Mine: Why are you all looking at me?
Reviewer Responses
Neptune Butterfly: Ah, the little people are loved! However, they will have to wait, especially for blowing up stuff- Those big guns aren't likely to go off until the day. However, with most of the regiment on de facto shore leave, expect to see them wandering around the city. As for Private Gunter, well, boys will be boys. Not to say he hasn't been maced a few times --;
cjflutterbye: Alas, action is holding off for a while. We're slipping back into a character-interaction phase. Meetings, greetings, and a few chewing-outs.
betsytheripper: Well, the Gunsmoke government's not made of money. Besides, from all the rumors and crooks pretending to be in league with Vash, he's probably got a gang a few hundred in size by now. Too bad they're all fakes except for one. And help yourself to the cake, it's, uh, C4 cake? Tastes a bit blah, but the frosting is excellent.
s: I have been reviewed by the letter s. It's been a lifelong dream ever since I first saw PBS.
Meryl Stryfe: ¤looks back and forth between reviews and story¤ You...there, but you're there, and... ARGH! Headache!
Sorian: It was for the greater good (of the plot, possibly not of anyone involved by the plot).
Yma: I was faced with a choice between either letting it languish for a time, or plowing ahead, but Knives had to have his little crack appear. It's fairly consistent with how I have Knives pictured in this story- he's a mix of the anime and magna versions, and his internal workings are due to be explained a few chapters down the line. The title will be 'To Pluck an Angel's Wings', and it's one of the scenes that I already have planned out.
kitsune: According to my co-workers, I'm already spending time in hell. It's not Wicked Author Hell, since it basically gives me eight hours to think of what to write. I have had to deal with The Voice, which in some ways exceeds both The Hand and The Eye in that you can't outrun it or hide in a closet.
Disclaimer: Seeing fragments of paradise may induce excessively happy feelings that will annoy those who lack imagination. Just say 'pbbbt' to them.
Technical Notes- Gunsmoke Telepathy: In this story, telepathy is best described by using a radio analogy. Unless you're disciplined in controlling your thoughts or have a rather unique method of thinking, everyone is like a radio station, broadcasting out what they're thinking at any given time. Since there's absolutely no regulation, these broadcasts end up as a cluttered jumble, but since almost nobody has good receivers it doesn't matter. Like radio, transmission ranges are limited and will vary from person to person and even from thought to thought. Emotionally charged thoughts have more raw power than calm, logical thoughts. Clarity and signal strength drop off with distance, though certain combinations of circumstance can create abnormally long range contact (like getting a European radio station on a cheap crystal radio in the US though pure luck). Direct physical contact results in exceptionally strong signals.
On the reception end, as stated almost nobody has a receiver. Plants are a notable exception, as is anyone that gets shown how to 'make' a receiver, and more importantly how to 'tune' it to a specific person. Once this is done, they may be able to take it further. In extreme cases, they get good enough at controlling both reception and transmission to not only /look/ into minds, but to also exploit weaknesses (such as doubts, fears, and other negative psychological attributes) and gain control over a person's body, forcing the person into a sleep state while the body goes off on a joyride. Even at such a stage of ability, whoever is doing the controlling is still limited by the number of ways they can split their attention, their own transmission range, how well they can probe multiple minds, and how resistant some minds may be to control. Resistance can be increased through a variety of methods, ranging from outright physically different brains to exceptional mental self control to sheer mass of thought as thousands of people all thinking results in massive telepathic static- probably why Legato never just went out and smacked down the major cities one after another.
And now you know, so stop the drooling and spinning eyes already.
Chapter 20: Intersection
The hustle and bustle of a large city was ever-present. While it would be the case for any of the great cities, the exact feel given off by the city would always be unique. December had an undertone of dealmaking, the art of fair compromise. May defied its own grandeur by somehow retaining a small town attitude. July had been filled with an evanescent feeling of hope, the loss of which was almost as devastating to the planet as the loss of the production and population center. Now, Inepril had gained a feeling of expectation. You couldn't spend more than a few minutes in it before an overwhelming sense that something was about to happen pervaded you.
Somehow, knowing that he was responsible for that didn't make him feel any better. The crushing knowledge that he had caused another change, though far smaller in scope, was creating a hurt deep within him. It just wouldn't go away, it sat there and festered. Even the small opening up and revelation from his brother made little difference- it only assuaged a different, far older hurt. This new hurt was one he couldn't deal with all alone- it would slip around and spin off horrible worlds of "if" to make itself bigger.
He couldn't wait for his friends to return, as not only would they be a while in coming, but they were the wrong sort of help for him. He needed something he couldn't get from them, so he sought it elsewhere. It may have been a fool's errand, but wasn't that the role he played? He sought comfort from the only source he knew might be able to provide it. He stumbled across the city towards the destination, not knowing what to expect.
Ducking around corners was fun. Really. Keep the hat brim down, only peek out when needed. Ignore that group up ahead. Just like Hide and Seek. Don't mind the shout, just walk on as if you couldn't care less. Slide around the corner, and... safe! ...For the moment. "Good lord, how does Vash manage to do this every day?"
A voice spoke up behind her, nearly making her leap out of her boots. "Perhaps it would be prudent to wait for nightfall?"
She shot a death glare at Rai-dei, then turned up her nose and started to walk off. Then she remembered that turning up her nose meant her face was visible, and angled back down so quickly the hat popped off. Luckily, a hand flew by in a blur to replace her identity protecting item. Damn that man. It felt like she relying on him for practically everything, which was grating on her. She was quite capable of taking care of herself! "At least before all this..."
After playing a good hour's worth of "Win Another Minute of Life!" with the crowds, her target was in reach, yet still so very far away. It was in reach because she was standing right next to the building, and so very far away because of the armed guards and receptionist in the main entrance. Well, if the main entrance wouldn't do, time to find another. A quick walk around the outer wall alleys revealed an exit, as evidenced by the lack of even a handle on this door. Good thing she had her lockpick. "Open it up."
Rai-dei complied, and with a pair of soft chinks the door was suddenly minus supporting connections. It fell down with a nice thump, and she chalked up 'Breaking and Entering' to her record. She suddenly felt giddy with a realization- she could do anything, anything at all, and not worry about the law. She was so far in the hole already with her accused crimes that any more wouldn't make a difference. After all, you couldn't get worse than death- everything afterwards was irrelevant. It was a liberating feeling, yet at the same time horribly depressing. However, considering who she was hoping to find in here, she had to keep her thoughts ordered and focused. Knives wasn't one to be consoling troubles- she'd be lucky if he didn't just haul her up by the collar and drop her off for the reward.
She wrapped up the mental mess and filed it away to be dealt with later- right now she had a lot of ground to search. The building was mazelike, with parts of it old, other parts newer, and still plenty of damage in areas deemed unimportant. Arriving at another intersection, she peered down each direction to decide the best path. That was when she felt... something that pulled her to the left. It seemed as good a way to go as any, so she followed it. It kept pulling at her, almost guiding her steps. Finally, she spotted something atypical in the building- a door left ajar. A touch gently swung it open.
"...amazing..."
The plant didn't look like any she had ever seen. They would always be large glass-like containers with a glowing center. Some would be small, barely larger than herself, while others could be mountains in their own right. However, this one was almost completely different. A larger one, its base formed the room's roof. That much was the same.
The thing within was not. Vash had told her that the plants were alive, and there were stories from old engineers of seeing angels inside the orbs, but her mind couldn't quite wrap itself around what she had been told- until now. The plant angel was out, and it appeared to deserve every last wild tale and then some. It was glowing softly, a white light that illuminated the room, yet wasn't so bright as to obscure detail. Oh, and what detail was there to see! Feathers of all sizes sprouted off the almost human form, curling around and waving slowly in a dazzling dance. White and black locks of hair floated about its head, occasionally passing before the creature's eyes. The featureless orbs looked useless for sight, yet the angel still seemed to be staring down at something across the room. Following its gaze, difficult as it was to tear her own eyes away from it, she spotted a crumpled figure across a raised section of the floor.
"It can't be..." Her legs moved before her mouth found words, in an attempt to make sure that it was who she wouldn't dare hope it to be. His face was obscured by his hands, but there was no mistaking that arm- or the hair. "Vash?"
He stopped breathing after a momentary intake, and then, ever so slowly, raised his head up and turned towards her. That gaze of his felt like watching the suns rise, to slowly shove aside the biting cold of night with the gentle warmth of morning. It pervaded her, even as she saw a miracle happen on his tear streaked face. He had looked so empty in that first instant, but every moment seemed to fill him, as if he had lost his soul only to have it now return. He stood, and arms- both hers and his -reached out to touch the others face. "Real... It's real..." The arms moved again, and suddenly the air between them was shoved aside. The tears that had collected on his chin now ran down her forehead, to mingle with her own in making his shirt wet. Everything would be fine now...
However, reality couldn't even give them a moment's peace before throwing another crisis at them, as she heard his gun click. He whispered softly to her, yet his voice carried a deadly undertone. "Get behind me..."
He had come to the main plant facility to try and seek some form of solstice. His sisters seemed nearly unable to talk or /talk/, but they communicated nonetheless. It was pure feeling that they transmitted and received- It lacked the precision of language, but made up for it with unbarred honesty and accuracy. There was no way to choose the wrong words when there were no words to choose from.
He had slapped up his happy mask to make it in the front door, but the act was straining. Even just pretending to be happy felt wrong. He still managed to wiggle his way in past the personnel without raising a ruckus. He recognized them from the last time he had been in the city, and a simple greeting and a word about him coming to check a plant had him in the bowels of the complex. He went right to the plant that had threatened to explode last time. They knew each other a little better than most.
She opened up for him, in the most important senses of the word. Even after all the times he had seen them like this, it never failed to invoke some sense of wonder. There was nothing he had seen that could quite compare to the way they drifted about. Every bit of their forms seemed to burst with life in a way that almost no person could match. He sent out his feelings to her, and she responded with a soft blanket of comfort. It settled over the room, and he sat to bask in it.
Unfortunately, it didn't last. An upwelling of guilt stifled the pleasant waves. What right did he have to feel so happy when the one closest to his heart was out there, in who knows what kind of trouble? In a fit of anger, he thrust aside the warm blanket of comfort. He didn't deserve it. The plant withdrew in shock, and he suddenly found himself sending remorse for his outburst to her. The comfort came back, but this time it skittered along the edges of his mind. Why had he done this? Surely his friends needed him now, and he had just run off to try and get something he shouldn't have from his sister. To top it off, he couldn't get it after all and had scared her in the process. What kind of a beast was he?
His head fell limply into his waiting hands. Even his sister seemed to have given up, her attention going elsewhere while he remained crumpled up by the central platform, like a candy wrapper tossed aside. He became almost as inert as one too. He had no idea how long he stayed that way, until a small noise slashed through the veil he had drawn around himself.
"Vash?"
His breath froze as his eyes snapped open. He turned up to the source of that sound. There she was, looking down at him. Had his grief driven him crazy? He got up and hesitantly stuck out his hand, afraid of causing her to evaporate into the place mirages come from with his touch, yet hoping against hope that it really was her. His fingers trembled as they came to her upturned face, with lavender eyes locked into his own. His hand touched her cheek- It was soft. Her hand traced his jaw- It was warm. It was her... It was really her! Tears of a different sort now traced their way down as he embraced her. He held on tightly while the beating of his heart threatened to overwhelm his senses. They were together again, and this time he wouldn't let go. A feeling of happiness drifted down from above, and looking up he saw the plant return to its normal form. He let his gaze fall back down, noticing for the first time that she had a rather ugly hat on that didn't suit her at all. It was gone with a casual flick.
A hand caught it as it was about to sail out the door, and the perfect little world with just the two of them crumbled. His mind flitted over a library's worth of curses, but none seemed able to express just how much he despised whatever gods there may be right then and there. Thus, he kept silent as he smoothly unholstered his gun, then whispered a warning. "Get behind me..."
The Gung-ho Gun just stood there, head bowed as he gently prodded Meryl behind him. What was the man waiting for?
"Oh, it's just Rai-dei."
"'Just' Rai-dei? What's going on here?" He kept his aim squarely on the figure before him.
"It's... a long story."
"Figures. Luckily, I can keep this up all day, so let's hear it."
Rai-dei got down to his knees and carefully laid the blade that was his namesake beside him, then outright prostrated himself just inside the room. If there was dust anywhere, he'd spot it for sure like that. His aim held steady- he possessed superior speed, but with Meryl there he had very little room to move as he would have liked. The form spoke but a moment later.
"Vash-San, I have wronged you terribly, and must beg your forgiveness."
That was unexpected. "Uh... Okay?"
Rai-dei rose to his knees, and for the better part of the next hour the ex-Gung-ho Gun spilled out his story. His brush with death, though to him it really was death. The departure from the Gung-ho Guns, too ashamed to even tell them after breaking down so dishonorably in Augusta. His anguished wanderings, trying to find the Stampede but failing to do so. His discovery of the book and the new vow he had taken on. His chance meeting with Meryl while putting a stop to the Nebraskas. The escape from the city, the steamer trip, Meryl's illness, and finally arriving in Inepril that morning.
Meryl ended up dozing against his legs, her gentle contact and lack of aggression vouching for what Rai-dei said more than the actual words. Normally he would have kept her awake, but she needed it if even half of what Rai-dei mentioned was true. However, she snapped out of her slumber once the story finished. Even overstressed as she was, she was still able to keep a bit of caution in her.
"So... You want to be like me?"
"Hai."
"Well, you've come quite a way, but you're not there yet. There's a core element, vitally important to how I view the world that you still lack."
"What would that be, Vash-San?"
"You must always remember...!"
"Hai."
"Deep within your being..."
"Hai!"
The look Rai-dei had was nothing short of one expecting a divine proclamation. The man was ready to listen, so it was time to speak the simple truth with conviction and good old fashioned volume.
"That this world is made of love and peace!"
"What was that?"
The other junior technician looked up at the ceiling from which the loud thudding noise had come. "Some old rubble, maybe? Better tell the boss man just in case, whatever it was must have hit hard."
The street was mostly empty under the influence of the midday suns, but there were always eyes out. Looking through the glare of dusty windows, or just able to peek out from under old beat up hats, they were omnipresent. At least they weren't even so much as glancing her way, thanks to Vash. Even without his brilliant red coat, he was still able to garner ample attention with his antics, and when combined with the fact that none of those eyes wanted to stare at a Cavalry uniform, it resulted in a completely effective diversion. Wherever they were going, they'd get there.
As it was, 'there' proved to be a small apartment building not far from the town center, but enough out of the way that the long time residents were the only ones around. Entering the lobby, there was a sudden hail of darts that thoroughly pegged Vash just before a group of children swarmed him. She sighed and went for the stairs to wait out playtime, but just as she turned to get a seat on the lowest step Vash nearly bumped into her. "They finished already?"
"No, but sometimes you're just in a hurry to get things done. Can't fool around all day!" He laughed through his giant grin. "Oh, Vash..." He was using his Happy persona, but it was so strained that almost anyone could pick up on it. He never liked serious talks, and here he was rushing them up to what would probably be nothing but serious talks. It both warmed and hurt her. That he was willing to place her first was great, but not if it took away the other things that made him happy. Besides that, the kids looked depressed at being rebuffed, and she couldn't have that. Her mind made up, she firmly turned him around and gave him a slap on the rear. "Get out there you big doofus."
Moment later, he was being twisted like a pretzel in the middle of the lobby. She watched them go at it with a smile. The problems could wait a few minutes for this. Rai-dei sat beside her, his neat upright position a contrast to her own chin-on-one-knee relaxed posture.
"He is... not what I expected."
She kept watching the wrestling in the middle. "Yeah, but that's what makes him so wonderful. He's so alive despite everything, or maybe because of everything. What's really amazing is that he can spread it out to everyone around him."
"I find it hard to believe that he is the same being I faced in Augusta."
"It just takes time to understand him. Spend a few months following him around and you'll hardly recognize yourself, if he doesn't drive you crazy in the process."
"I will see."
They kept their little audience going as Vash got contorted into improbable shapes by the noisy gaggle of kids. After a few minutes, Rai-dei rose and turned, but didn't go up the stairs as she expected. Instead, he stood there and spoke.
"I apologize for failing you."
He hadn't failed her, had he? Then a sudden chill on her neck alerted her to the presence of someone else. She knew who it was before her head turned to glance up at him. Knives stood a few steps above, mouth firmly fixed in a disapproving frown while his eyes glowed soft blue.
¤decks out everyone in party regalia, complete with pointy hats and party favors¤ It's time to celebrate! Over one hundred reviews and counting! Party hearty my amigos!
Wolfwood: All right! Dibs on the cake! ¤CRUNCH¤ Ey, who fut a ailfile en the cake?
Oh, I had been saving that cake for a special occasion, and now seemed special enough. Come on Legato, you can't be all frowns at a party!
Legato: .........¤phweet¤.
Oh well, I suppose it's the best we can expect from him. And who spiked the punch? ¤pulls a bunch of giant spikes out of the punch¤
E.G. Mine: Why are you all looking at me?
Neptune Butterfly: Ah, the little people are loved! However, they will have to wait, especially for blowing up stuff- Those big guns aren't likely to go off until the day. However, with most of the regiment on de facto shore leave, expect to see them wandering around the city. As for Private Gunter, well, boys will be boys. Not to say he hasn't been maced a few times --;
cjflutterbye: Alas, action is holding off for a while. We're slipping back into a character-interaction phase. Meetings, greetings, and a few chewing-outs.
betsytheripper: Well, the Gunsmoke government's not made of money. Besides, from all the rumors and crooks pretending to be in league with Vash, he's probably got a gang a few hundred in size by now. Too bad they're all fakes except for one. And help yourself to the cake, it's, uh, C4 cake? Tastes a bit blah, but the frosting is excellent.
s: I have been reviewed by the letter s. It's been a lifelong dream ever since I first saw PBS.
Meryl Stryfe: ¤looks back and forth between reviews and story¤ You...there, but you're there, and... ARGH! Headache!
Sorian: It was for the greater good (of the plot, possibly not of anyone involved by the plot).
Yma: I was faced with a choice between either letting it languish for a time, or plowing ahead, but Knives had to have his little crack appear. It's fairly consistent with how I have Knives pictured in this story- he's a mix of the anime and magna versions, and his internal workings are due to be explained a few chapters down the line. The title will be 'To Pluck an Angel's Wings', and it's one of the scenes that I already have planned out.
kitsune: According to my co-workers, I'm already spending time in hell. It's not Wicked Author Hell, since it basically gives me eight hours to think of what to write. I have had to deal with The Voice, which in some ways exceeds both The Hand and The Eye in that you can't outrun it or hide in a closet.